Fragile Soul
by dorina16able
Summary: A princess with a painful past. A prince who finds her and takes her in his realm. But the mysterious maiden does not reveal anything about why she was walking alone in the Mirkwood forest and about her past. The story of Castiel and Legolas, a story marked with questions, fears, doubts and a very strong love.
1. Chapter 1: Running away

**A/N: Hi, everyone, how are you? Ok, yesterday I came up with an idea for a new story about 'Lord of the Rings'. It is settled after the 'Return of the King'. Your reviews and opinions will be extremely valuable for me and I really hope you'll like it. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Lord of the Rings', neither the books nor the movies.**

Wherever she was looking, memories were awakening in her mind. She knew every single inch of the castle that was her home for so many years. As time passed, she had explored every stairway, she had discovered secret passages and she had found places to hide when she was upset. From a window she could see the lake, bathed in the moonlight. It was a clear, warm night. The young maiden wished that it could be raining or at least that the weather would be windy, for she could be sure that way that nobody would hear her steps echoing in the corridors.

Her look fell on a portrait. A young man with dark brown hair and black eyes was smiling down at her. At his sight, the gentle heart of the maiden filled with hate. This man was one of the many reasons she was in this situation. She touched a spot on her body and the pain that packed her made her tear up, but she wiped the tears away. There was no time for grieving, for she was still in danger.

She quickened her pace and soon she had reached the gates of the castle. A guard, her only companion and friend in this place, the only one who knew the entire truth, was waiting for her, with her bow, her quiver and her cloak on his shoulders and holding Beleg, her horse, from the reins. When he saw her, he bowed deeply.

'My lady' he whispered.

The maiden smiled at him. If Gondien was not there, she would never make it out of this castle. Another soldier was about to guard the gates that night, but Gondien had told him he would take his post in order to cover her. He would have her eternal gratitude, for she knew that when her father would find out that she was missing and the guards would speak, Gondien would be in grave danger.

She wore her cloak, pulling the hood over her chestnut brown hair, hang her quiver around her shoulder and mounted Beleg.

'I have fed him and I filled the saddle bags with province for both of you' Gondien reassured her.

She nodded. Suddenly it was very difficult for her to farewell him. Years and years he had spent next to her, consoling her when she could not endure anymore, trying to convince her to talk to someone.

'Come with me, Gondien' she suggested him. 'The guard, whose post you took, will inform my father and he will connect it with my disappearance. He will kill you. Come with me and save yourself'

'My lady, I am honored by your suggestion and your concern for me, but I prefer to stay here. Even if I am threatened, as you say, even if they kill me, I will defend you. Before I die, I will tell them everything' Gondien answered and the maiden sighed.

'Very well. If this is indeed your will, so be it' she said.

'Where will you go now?' Gondien wanted to know.

'I do not know. I will go wherever my fate and my heart will lead me'

There was a heavy silence for a few moments, broken only by the singing of the nightingales. The young woman sighed. It was time to leave.

'Hannon le, Gondien, mellon nin' she whispered. 'I will never forget what you have done for me. I wish you well'

Gondien bowed to his lady, the only one from the royal family he highly respected.

'Galu, my lady. Galo Anor erin radeg' he wished her. 'Stay safe'

With a last nod towards him, she grabbed Beleg's reins and rode off, with the guard's gaze following her. While galloping through the dark streets of her realm, she felt free for the first time in her life.

Elvish words/phrases used:

Hannon le- Thank you

Mellon nin- My friend

Galu- Good luck

Galo Anor erin radeg- May the sun shine upon your path

**A/N: Ok, guys, that was it. I know it's kinda short, but I had planned to have only my OC in the first chapter. Surely you have many questions after reading it, but I assure you they will be answered. Can't wait for your reviews :) I don't know when the next chapter will be up, because I'm writing 'The Edge of the Abyss' in the same time. Even thought, I will try to update within the next two days.  
**


	2. Chapter 2: Unanswered questions

**A/N: Hello, everyone, what's up? Here's the next chapter, it shows Castiel's and Legolas's first meeting, but Castiel doesn't say anything about her, causing many suspicions to the Mirkwood Elves. Hope you will like it.**

**Guest- It's only a coincidence, I never watched Supernatural. Yesterday, when I saw your review, I searched and found out that you were right. The name 'Castiel' in my story is an elvish female name, which is translated as "tender", that's why I chose it. **

**OhDearIluvatar- Well, my character is not actually a princess like we mean it, I understand what you mean. But, for example, Lord Elrond is not considered king of Rivendell, like Thranduil is king of Mirkwood, but still many refer to Arwen as 'princess'. So, with the word 'princess' and the phrase 'royal family' I only mean that Castiel's father is the ruler over her homeland. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Lord of the Rings', I only own the characters I create.**

The four Elves were riding through the forest, looking suspiciously around, feeling the threat of a possible attack coming near. The forest of the Woodland Realm was known both for its beauty and for the many dark creatures that were appearing very often, causing damages and attacking people. Spiders were the most common problem, but from time to time they had also fought against Orcs and Wargs, which was worrying their elven king, King Thranduil, extremely.

Suddenly, they heard screams, shrieks and a horse neighing in the distance. Wondering what was happening, they started riding towards the source of the sound, when their leader, a man called Sidhion, leaned on his horse's neck to examine some tracks on the ground.

'Look!' he exclaimed. 'Tracks of spiders! Someone is under attack! Come, we must hurry!'

The Elves started galloping with all their speed and soon reached the place of the attack. But what they saw was not what they were expecting.

A young maiden of half-elvish nature was trying to defend herself by firing red-feathered arrows at the beasts. Three were already dead, but more were approaching. Her dark brown horse, although frightened, was trying to help his lady. With quick bow-work, the four men came to her aid and soon they had defeated the evil creatures. Then they turned to the unknown girl.

'Are you well, my lady?' Sidhion asked her with concern. 'My apologies for your attack, I hope the spiders did not harm you'

'No, do not feel worried, I am alright' her voice was low, as if she was afraid of them. 'And I must thank you for helping me'

'It was our pleasure' Sidhion smiled to her. 'These beasts cause many problems lately. May I ask with whom I have the honor to speak?'

Hearing these words, the maiden shuddered and blushed deeply. Then she looked away from them, as if she did not understand his question…

_…or as if she is afraid to answer_, Sidhion completed his thought.

'Sidhion, what will we do with her?' one of his companions whispered to him. 'We can not leave her alone, but how do we know we can trust her?'

'I think we should inform the Prince, I am sure he will find something'

The maiden was looking secretly towards them, afraid of what their decision about her would be. She did not want to reveal her name, let alone where she was coming from and why she was here on her own. She caught the word 'prince', which scared her even more. Surely this prince would order her to speak, otherwise they would abandon her.

At that moment, the sound of hooves was heard and a small group of Elves came to them. When they saw their leader, they bowed deeply in respect.

'Prince Legolas' Sidhion greeted him.

The young woman's eyes widened when she heard this. She was imagining the prince as much elder, with a strict expression, who wanted everybody to obey him. But he was around the same age with her, maybe a few years elder, with a kind face, long, blond hair and piercing, sea blue eyes that were looking with concern at her. Of course she had heard about him. Legolas, the only son of Thranduil, the Elvenking, was the best archer of Middle Earth, member of the Fellowship of the Ring and a good friend of the king of Gondor, Aragorn. But she had never guessed that he would be like this and she relaxed a little.

Legolas, from his side, saw a beautiful maiden, with chestnut brown, wavy hair that was falling on her back and big, green-brown eyes that were full with fear. He dismounted from his horse and talked to his friend.

'Is everything well, Sidhion? We heard the spiders and came as fast as possible, but it seems you handled the problem very well'

'We are all safe, thank you'

Legolas looked at the girl again and took Sidhion away to talk with him in private.

'Sidhion, who is this maiden? Why is she all alone?'

'She was attacked by the spiders and we came to her aid' Sidhion informed him. 'But she is not revealing us her name. What will we do with her? We can not leave her here, but the fact that she is not saying anything about herself is very suspicious. She could be a spy'

'I do not think so' Legolas disagreed. 'It is normal for her to react this way, for we are strangers for her and she was attacked before. We will take her to the castle, we will let her rest and then maybe she will talk to us'

'According to your wish'

The two Elves went back to the group and Legolas smiled and bowed at the unknown girl, as a sign that he wished her no harm. Realizing that she should show him her respect and her gratitude, she replied with a small curtsey.

'My lady, I am pleased to tell you that you are welcomed to follow us to my home' Legolas announced her. 'There you may rest as long as you wish and, when you feel ready, you may tell us your name and what brings you here, in Mirkwood, without company'

The maiden gasped hearing these words. She should realize from the beginning that she was in the Woodland Realm, a realm known in every corner of Middle Earth. Her mother, who was a she-elf, used to tell her stories and sing her songs about it. And now she would be with her kin. Her true kin, for her human nature, the side that was related to her father and everything she had been through back in her realm, was causing only sorrow to her. She smiled back at Legolas.

'Hannon le' she whispered and mounted Beleg.

The riders galloped to the castle, lost in their thoughts, wondering who she was. She, on the other hand, knew that she would be forced to speak very soon. She would tell them her name, but nothing else, because the truth was so painful, that even the thought brought tears in her eyes.

Elvish words/phrases used:

Hannon le- Thank you

**A/N: Ok, guys, that was it for now. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. In the next one, Castiel decides to reveal her name, convinced that Legolas is trustworthy. Can't wait for your reviews and if you want to suggest anything, feel free :)**


	3. Chapter 3: Castiel

**A/N: Hi, everyone, what's up? Sorry for not updating lately, but I was writing on my other story. But here we are again, Castiel decides to give Legolas some information about herself. Legolas, on the other hand, realizing that Castiel has faced many hardships, comes with an idea to help her ;)**

**Gotta Dance 88- Thanks a lot, my friend, I'm happy you liked it :) I hope you will like this chapter too.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Lord of the Rings', only the characters I create.**

The warm water had helped her to calm down. She was feeling clean and pure, maybe for the first time in her life. Until now, nobody had pressured her to talk, something she was very grateful for. Her room had a beautiful view at the forest. It was different from her homeland, where she could see the lake, and because of this she had the impression of leaving everything behind, even if she would not stay for long.

Melima, a young maid with auburn hair, had prepared a bath for her and then she had helped her to wear a simple, violet dress. The maiden thought she would be a good friend, for she was gentle and joyful as she was narrating stories of her childhood.

'You look beautiful, my lady' she commented while combing the girl's hair.

'Thank you, Melima' she answered and the maid smiled.

'My lady, pardon me for my courage. I do understand that you may not wish to speak yet, but I would like to know your name'

'It is alright, Melima, I do not have a problem. Sooner or later I have to reveal it. Well, I am called Castiel'

'Your name is very nice, my lady'

'Your king was very kind to allow me to stay here for now' she changed the subject quickly.

'Yes, king Thranduil is a very just ruler and always willing to help those who are in need' Melima told her. 'When I came here, he did everything he could to make me feel welcome. I am very lucky he is my master'

'And…' Castiel hesitated for a few moments 'the prince? I have not heard anything negative about him, on the contrary, but your opinion would be very valuable for me'

'Prince Legolas is most gentle and solicitous, like his father' Melima said. 'He is always there for those he loves and can give his life for them. Do not fear to open your heart to him, my lady, for I am sure he will do anything he can to help you'

Castiel was not so sure about this. If the truth was revealed, the royal family of Mirkwood would be so ashamed, that she could not see them in the eyes anymore. She closed her eyes to prevent the tears from running down her face.

Someone knocked lightly at the door and Sidhion came in. He smiled when he saw that their unknown guest seemed calmer and bowed to her.

'My lady, Prince Legolas awaits you, if you feel ready. I will escort you'

Castiel, with her nervousness becoming bigger, nodded and stood up to follow the guard. Melima smiled towards her to encourage her and she tried to return the smile. Sidhion led her in a nice and simply decorated library with comfortable seats. Legolas was there alone and Castiel felt a sudden relief. It was not her intention, but something in his presence was making her feel safe.

'My Prince, I brought our guest' he announced.

'Hannon le, Sidhion' Legolas answered and, with a quick bow, Sidhion left, closing the door behind him. Castiel looked at Legolas and they bowed to each other.

'My lady'

'My Prince'

'Please, take a seat' Legolas invited her, pointing to a seat in front of the window. Castiel, after a small hesitation, sat down with uncertainty, afraid of what she would hear. Legolas sat opposite to her and smiled.

'My lady, first of all, I would like to welcome you officially in the Woodland Realm and I hope you will feel comfortable here. It is my pleasure to meet you and I am only sad about the conditions of our meeting'

His voice was so gentle and his words so kind and sincere, that Castiel lowered her head. The last time someone, except Gondien, treated her with kindness, was before her mother's death and it was a change she was unprepared for.

'Thank you, my Prince' she answered. 'I am very grateful to you for your help and I do recognize that the least I can do is to tell you my name'

'I assure you that we will not pressure you to say anything unpleasant for you' Legolas smiled. 'Although, I would really like to know your name'

'My name is Castiel' the half-elven maiden replied, trying to sound calm. 'I come from the small realm of Almaarea, the ruler of which is my father, Alarois'

'Castiel…That is a wonderful name, my lady, and it suits you very well' Legolas commented in an attempt to make her feel better. At his words, her pale cheeks took a shade of light pink, something that transfigured her upset and scared expression. The Mirkwood prince wanted to ask her about her homeland, but something made him stop. He had noticed that Castiel had suddered while mentioning the name of her realm. Maybe the memories she was carrying with her were not very happy.

Castiel raised her head and when her impressive, green-brown eyes, met his blue ones, she realized what he was thinking about. Although she would not say anything specific, she felt she could give him a clue.

'I came here with many sorrows in my heart. I left my home with the hope to leave everything behind' she mumbled.

Legolas could only nod at this statement, with his worry about this girl becoming bigger inside him. She was a stranger, but he could not leave her.

'Lady Castiel, there is no need to say anything more if you do not wish to' he quickly said, taking a decision immediately. 'From now on, and if you want, you are considered a permanent habitant of this castle, as long as you wish'

Castiel gasped when she heard his suggestion. This was something she was not expecting.

'My Prince, I do not know how to thank you. When I left I had no plans at all and I will never forget your help'

'The pleasure is all mine' Legolas answered with a gentle laugh. 'You may feel free to go around the castle and the grounds as you please. Also, since I saw that you were armed with a bow, know that the archery field is also open to you. Even though, do you have a special wish, something you want us to do for you?'

'To be honest, and pardon my courage, there is something' Castiel admitted, her mind travelling to Gondien. 'In my realm, there is a young guard called Gondien. He was my only friend and I am afraid for his safety. I would like to go there secretly to see if he is well, but I am afraid I will be caught'

'As for that, there is no need to worry' Legolas comforted her. 'We often send messengers to bring us news and they know very well how to hide. If you agree, I will sent two messengers to Almaarea to ask for your friend'

'That is very kind, thank you' Castiel said, but she could not be happy. She only hoped that Gondien would be still alive.

The same afternoon, Legolas had informed his father, King Thranduil, about everything he had learned from their unexpected guest. Thranduil had listened very carefully to his son, shaking his head with sympathy.

'Surely something serious must have happened to her' he concluded. 'So serious, that she left everything, her home, her family, to an unknown destiny and at a young age. I believe you did very well to invite her to stay with us, ion nin. Here she will calm down'

'I am happy you agree with me, ada' Legolas said, for he was afraid that his father would be against Castiel's staying.

'I wish to meet her' Thranduil told him. 'Please, go and escort her here'

'Of course'

Legolas walked to Castiel's room and knocked discreetly at the door, but there was no answer and he knocked for one more time. When nobody opened the door again, he entered quietly into the room, only to find Castiel sleeping. She was so peaceful, so innocent, that Legolas could not wake her up. He covered her with a blanket he found in a wardrobe, removing gently a lock from her face.

'Who are you, Castiel?' he whispered. 'What burdens do you hide in your heart?'

Castiel moved in her sleep and the young Elf was afraid she would awake, so he left the room and went to his father again.

'Excuse me, ada, but she is sleeping and I did not find it proper to wake her after everything that happened to her today'

'No, of course not' Thranduil agreed. 'I will see her tomorrow and I hope she will find her peace here. And I trust you to help her with that'

'I would be more than pleased to do that' Legolas promised with a small smile, sharing his father's opinion and praying that he would be able to vanish the shade of sadness he had seen in Castiel's eyes.

Elvish words/phrases used:

Hannon le- Thank you

Ion nin- My son

Ada- Father

**A/N: Ok, guys, that was it for now, hope you liked it :) The next chapter will show how Castiel tried to get used in her new life- something that is not very easy.**


	4. Chapter 4: The first clouds

**A/N: Hi, everyone, how are you? Missed me? Sorry for not updating lately, but I had some things to do and I also didn't know exactly how to go on, but here we are again. I warn you, this chapter is full of drama, because Castiel is packed by her memories and we also learn what will happen to Gondien, the guard who helped her escape (if you don't remember him, see Chapter 1). **

**Lavender-wash- Thank you for reviewing :) To answer your question, Castiel has chestnut brown, wavy hair that reaches the middle of her back and green-brown eyes.**

**Amber14- Hannon le, I'm glad you liked it. **

**WriteWithFeeling- First of all, I must say you have a great username :D I'm happy you like it so much, I hope you will like the new chapter as well.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LOTR, only the characters I create.**

The next morning, Legolas decided to go to the archery field and practice, something he had not done for a long time. The weather was perfect for that, for it was clear, sunny and without wind, something that would be an obstacle for his aim.

On his way, he heard a distant sound coming from the archery field. He presumed that some of the young Elves had the same thought with him and smiled. Tutoring the younger ones was something he loved to do, especially when he was seeing in their eyes the same passion for archery he had.

But he realized at once that he was wrong. In the field there were no elflings, only Castiel, who was practicing by taking position opposite random targets, some near, some far, and shooting arrows at them. He could not help but be impressed by her aim and her concentration. She was so focused, that she did not hear him approaching her and turned to him only when he spoke.

'I see you are very skilled'

His voice startled her and she looked at him with fear, as if she was afraid it was someone else, someone, Legolas thought, from her past, that was scaring her. Only when she saw it was him, she smiled with relief and made a small curtsey.

'Hannon le, my Prince' she replied.

'Please' Legolas laughed 'feel free to call me by my first name. After all, from now on you will live with us and there is no need for formalities, do you not agree?'

'Yes, of course I do' Castiel laughed as well. 'I will try'

Legolas smiled and a few moments passed in silence, during of which the prince's eyes fell on the arrows the young maiden had shot, hitting the centre every time.

'I hope I did not disturb you from training' he quickly said, thinking that she may wish to be alone. It was something he could not understand about her, on the one hand she was making clear that his presence was not unpleasant for her, but on the other hand she was reacting mysteriously, as if she was sensing a threat he could not. He had not seen something like this before and he was trying to interpret her strange behavior.

'No, do not worry' Castiel answered, seeing the quiver that was hanging around Legolas's shoulder. 'On the contrary, and if you also wish, we could train together'

'It would be an honor for me' Legolas said with a polite nod and took position next to her.

They spent an hour like this, practicing in different ways and showing to each other new ways at shooting arrows. Castiel remembered Almaarea and how she used to train archery secretly, always in Gondien's company, because her father had once found her and had forbidden her to do it again. But, although both she and her close friend were extremely careful, someone had found out and had informed her father, who was very furious.

_" He moved so quickly that the only thing she could see was a flash of light. The next moment, she was lying on the ground, with a small stream of blood running down her face and with him standing over her"_

The memory packed her and she had the feeling she was suffocating. Her breath became difficult and her bow slipped from her hand. The noise made Legolas turn to her. Seeing her situation, he dropped his own bow and ran to her.

'Castiel, what is it?' he asked worried. 'Tell me, what is wrong?'

But the only thing she could do was shake her head and close her eyes as the first tears escaped from them. The dread and the fear she was feeling back home returned, even harder than before. Legolas, now terrified, helped her to sit down on a bench. Then he sat next to her, caressing her hair, like a loyal companion would do.

'Are you better?' he wanted to know after she had taken some deep breaths.

She nodded, blushing deeply, ashamed that she had shown such a weakness in front of him.

'Forgive me' she whispered. 'I do not know what happened, I only felt so dizzy'

_I can not tell him the truth. I simple can not, it is over my strength._

'Do not apologize' Legolas comforted her. 'I promised I would not pressure you and I will hold to that. Try to calm down and I will fetch you some water, alright?'

Castiel nodded again. With a last stroke on her hair, Legolas stood up and turned to leave, but her hand packing his made him stop.

'Thank you, Legolas' she told him, her beautiful eyes looking at him as if it was very important for her. Legolas smiled consoling at her and squeezed her hand lightly before leaving.

In the realm of Almaarea, the streets were full of people who were talking to each other, treading or showing their new weapons. Children were swimming in the lake and the boys were training in archery and fencing, laughing loudly.

At a dark corner, a tall, hooded man was hiding, listening to the random conversations without being spotted. The hood was very useful to him, for it was covering his long hair and his pointy ears. Nestaron, one of the two messengers Legolas had sent to learn about Castiel's friend, was looking with concentration at the street, hiding even more if he had the impression there was danger of being found. In a sudden, he heard Gondien's name and quickly listened to the man who had mentioned it.

'I heard Lord Gondien will be executed' he said to another man. 'Tomorrow evening'

'Executed?' the other man repeated. 'But why? As far as I know, Lord Gondien is very trustworthy and gentle'

'Apparently, he has something to do with Lady Castiel's sudden disappearance' the first man explained. 'Rumors say that he helped Lady Castiel to run away by taking the post of another guard yesterday night. Lord Alarois was very angry when he found it out and the guards told him about Lord Gondien'

'I do not know what others say, but I have heard nothing negative about Lord Gondien' his friend commented. 'And if you ask me, Lady Castiel must have a very serious reason of running away. I wonder if she will learn about Gondien's death and how she will react'

Nestaron had heard enough and carefully ran to the small forest that was nearby, where Veryan, his companion, was waiting for him. Veryan gasped at his friend's shocked expression.

'What did you learn?' he wanted to know, sure that the news were bad.

'I heard two men talking about this man, Gondien. Lady Castiel's father has connected her disappearance with him and they will execute him tomorrow'

'What?' Veryan yelled and Nestaron looked around worried. 'They will kill him? But why? According to Prince Legolas, Lady Castiel ran away because something terrible must have happened to her'

'Well, this is confirmed by Gondien's execution. Something is going on in this castle, mellon nin, I can feel it'

'How will we tell it to her?' Veryan wondered sadly. 'You saw how she was when we found her, as if she was scared, and the prince said that Gondien is a person very important for her. She will not endure the news'

'I think we must sneak into the dungeons of the castle tonight and find him' Nestaron suggested. 'We must tell him that Lady Castiel is alright. This will make it easier to him and, if he has a message for her, this will help her as well'

Indeed, the same night and after making sure that everybody was sleeping, the two Mirkwood Elves managed to sneak into the castle of Almaarea with the help of a rope. They walked down the stairs they assumed were leading to the dungeons, grateful to her elven eyesight, for they did not need a torch to see where they were going. The guard who was standing in front of the door, who was an Elf, like them, pointed his spear towards the two companions.

'Who are you and what are you doing here? For your own sake, say the truth!' he demanded.

Nestaron and Veryan removed the hoods and the guard gasped when he realized they were from his own kin. The three of them put their right hands on their hearts and lowered them slowly. It was the greeting of the Elves, that was showing mutual respect and appreciation.

'My name is Nestaron and this is my companion Veryan. We come from the Woodland Realm and we wish you no harm. We only want to speak to Lord Gondien'

'How do you know him?' the guard asked surprised and they exchanged worried looks. Castiel had run away, but this guard seemed to be friendly.

'We have a common friend' Veryan answered after a small hesitation and the guard's face lightened.

'Lady Castiel. You know Lady Castiel. Is she with you?'

'She is in our realm and she is well. But she is worried about Gondien, so we came to see how he is. Nae, we learned about his execution and we wish to see him and tell him that his lady is well. To the blood of the kin that connects the three of us, please, let us in'

'Of course I will' the guard said willingly, while opening the door that was leading to the cells. 'Follow me'

He led them to the last cell on their left hand and opened the door. Gondien, who was standing at the window, turned to them and his eyes widened at their sight. He was young, with black hair and youthful face that was marked with worry.

'I will take my leave now' the guard whispered. 'Be careful and you have my word that nobody will ever learn about your visit'

'Hannon le' Nestaron said sincerely and looked at Gondien, with the sadness growing bigger inside him. This Elf would die because he had helped a young maiden to escape a dreadful life. How cruel was Lord Alarois to take such a decision?

'My lord' he said politely 'do not fear us. We are friends of Lady Castiel'

'You are her friends?' Gondien's voice had a joyful tone. 'Where is she? How is she?'

'She is alright' Veryan consoled him. 'She is in our realm, the Woodland Realm'

Gondien's heavy heart filled with relief when he heard this. Castiel would be treated with kindness by the royal family of Mirkwood, something that was making the thought of tomorrow much easier.

'She was attacked by spiders. We saved her and took her with us' Veryan went on. 'We look after her, you have my word on that. Although, she gave us the impression of being very cautious'

'It is not a surprise, considering everything that happened to her here' Gondien whispered bitterly.

'What happened to her?' Nestaron took the chance. 'Could you give us a clue? Only that way we will be able to help her stand on her feet again'

'Her father, Lord Alarois, is behind everything. Many consider him a perfect ruler, but this because they do not know who he really is, that he is cruel and evil. When Castiel begged me to help her run away, I agreed at once'

The two visitors looked at each other, as if they had suspected it. If Gondien was right, then this was explaining Castiel's fearful eyes.

'Come with us' Veryan said. 'You may come with us and your guard as well. You will live and we will do anything we can to keep you and Lady Castiel safe'

'I am honored by your concern, but I do not think it is a good idea. Castiel is a very closed maiden and she does not want to say anything about her, I know her well. And if two more Elves from her realm appear, then I am afraid Lord Alarois will start searching for her. Besides, I am willing to die for her, knowing that she is well'

Nestaron lowered his head, wanting to make him change his mind, but knowing he would not have any success. Gondien took a sheet of parchment he had hidden in a hole on the wall and gave it to them.

'It is a letter for Castiel' he explained. 'I would give it to Maeron, the guard who led you, and he would find a way to send it to her. But now that you are here, would you be so kind to give it to her?'

'Of course' Nestaron gave his word. 'And I will tell her how lucky she is to have such a loyal friend'

'Thank you for coming' Gondien put the conversation to an end. 'Your visit was the best way to give me courage and faith for tomorrow. I will leave this world happy, because I will know that my friend will be safe'

'Nothing will happen to her, we promise' Veryan put a hand on his shoulder. 'King Thranduil, Prince Legolas, Nestaron and I and many others will care for her'

Minutes later, the two Elves were riding back to Mirkwood, with their hearts heavy from their conversation with the young guard and his refusal to be saved.

'May you find peace in death, Gondien' Veryan whispered.

'Stay strong, my friend, stay strong' Nestaron advised him. 'We must be strong when we will tell her the news, for only then we will stand by her side'

Elvish words/phrases used:

Hannon le- Thank you

Mellon nin- My friend

Nae- Alas

**A/N: Ok, guys, that was it for now. I hope you liked it, even if it was too dramatic. I will try to post the next chapter within the next two or three days. xx**


	5. Chapter 5: Tears like raindrops

**A/N: Hello, everyone, what's up? Another chapter is up. For one more time, it is full of drama, because Castiel learns about Gondien's death. **

**WriteWithFeeling- I'm happy you think that :) I really hope you will like this chapter too.**

**Gotta Dance 88- Yeah, that's why I made him learn that Castiel is in Mirkwood, to die with the thought that she is safe. Just wait until you meet her father.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Lord of the Rings', Tolkien does.**

They were in the forest, sitting under a tree. She was a little girl, crying and mourning for her mother, who had left this world so soon and so cruel. Gondien hugged her to comfort her and she felt safe, although she knew this would not last for long. Now that her mother was gone, her father would surely change.

Suddenly, Wargs appeared from every corner and attacked them. Gondien stood in front of her to protect her. Castiel tried to push him away, to help him, but her friend urged her to climb up the tree.

'Do as I say, Castiel!'

Although she did not want it, she was forced to obey him. From a branch she could see him attacking the Wargs with his sword, but the beasts were too many to be defeated by only one. Her eyes filled with tears when she saw Gondien unable to protect himself anymore.

'Gondien!'

Castiel woke up in a sudden. It took some moments to realize she was not in her realm, but she was still lying in her bed in Mirkwood. She stood up and drank some water from the goblet that was on a small desk next to her bed, trying to calm down. Her dream was so real, that she could still hear Gondien's screams in her ears.

At Gondien's thought, she sighed loudly and rested her forehead on the cold window, with fear packing her. This dream was a warning, she was sure about this. Gondien was in danger or something would happen to him.

_No, do not think like that, Castiel. Try to think positive._

But knowing her father's character, she could not think positive and she wiped away her tears. If anything bad would happen to Gondien, she would never forgive herself.

A strange sound coming from outside startled her. Soon afterwards, it started to rain heavily, with the raindrops falling on the window. Dark clouds had covered the moon and the stars and she felt cold chills running down her spine, not knowing if the weather was colder indeed or if her worry was responsible for this. She grabbed the pendant that was hanging around her neck. It was a small, green leaf with silver veins, which used to belong to her mother.

_All the grace that is given to me by you, nanneth, let be passed to Gondien, _she prayed. _Protect him, like you were protecting me, I beg you. Let him live._

The rain went on for hours and Castiel could not sleep. Usually, the sound of the rain was comforting her, but this was not the case that night. The raindrops were reminding her of tears, of the innumerable tears she had spilled all these years, and she could not help but think that the Valar were warning her that she would get bad news.

The next morning, Nestaron and Veryan arrived in the Woodland Realm in a miserable situation. They were riding for many hours now, without resting at all, with their clothes wet from the rain and clearly upset, not only because of the journey, but because of the news they were bearing. This was obvious to King Thranduil and Legolas when the two men appeared before them in the throne hall.

" '_We must find a way to tell the news gently to Lady Castiel' Veryan commented. 'We must praise his loyalty towards her, his bravery and his kind heart'_

'_Of course, but I am afraid this will not be enough, since she lost such a good friend' Nestaron shook his head._

'_Alas, I believe you are right' Veryan sighed. 'She will feel guilty and this does not depend on how we will speak to her'_

'_Prince Legolas!' Nestaron exclaimed. 'You saw how much he cares for her and how much he wishes to help her in every way. I suggest we will announce Gondien's death to him first' "_

'Welcome home, Nestaron and Veryan' Thranduil greeted them politely, in an attempt to ease the tension that was in the atmosphere. 'It is good to have you back'

'Thank you, my king' Veryan replied while rising from his bow.

Legolas remained silent, looking at the two messengers, his eyes narrowed. From the moment they had come in, he had a very bad feeling. He secretly exchanged looks with Sidhion, who was also present and seemed to make the same thoughts. Now, the only thing he wanted was to hear the news as soon as possible.

Half an hour later, the young prince was walking to Castiel's room, holding Gondien's letter in his hand, with a tormented expression on his face and feeling guilty. Guilty because he would cause her such a great pain, especially now, where she was starting to seem a bit calmer. His cheeks had traces of the few tears he had shed, tears of sorrow, both for the brave, unfortunate Elf who would die and for Castiel, whom he was starting to consider a very important person in his life, although he did not know her very well.

He knocked at the door and entered the room once he heard Castiel's voice inviting him inside. He looked scared at her, for she was extremely pale, with small knots of sweat on her forehead.

'What is wrong?' he asked her. 'Are you not well?'

'Do not be afraid, Legolas, I am fine' she reassured him. 'I only woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare and could not sleep afterwards'

But only then the half-elven maiden noticed how sad Legolas was and she looked with concern at him.

'Legolas? What happened, mellon nin? Is everyone alright? You, king Thranduil…?'

'Yes, Castiel, we are all fine' Legolas answered. 'It is only that…that Nestaron and Veryan have just returned from Almaarea'

At these words, her beautiful face became a mask of terror, connecting his sadness with this. She teared up and Legolas felt his heart aching. If she was tearing up only at the news that the messengers had returned, how would she react after hearing that her close friend would die?

'What did they learn?' she wanted to learn, her voice already trembling, biting her lips, trying to prevent the tears.

Legolas could not see her in the eyes anymore and lowered his head.

'Forgive me' he whispered.

He heard a loud sob coming from Castiel's side. The sound was so fearful, that he raised his head and saw that she had collapsed on the bed, hiding her head in her arms, crying as if she was bleeding inside. Terrified, he ran and sat next to her, hugging her as tightly as he could, letting her burst out in his arms, caressing her hair. He did not say anything consoling to her, because he knew very well that words were useless. Gondien's bravery, his wish for her safety, nothing could mend her pain. So he just remained there, silent, holding her as if she was a child.

'It is my fault' she mumbled, her head still hidden. 'I should force him to come with me when I ran away. I should never run away. I acted like a coward and now Gondien payed. It is all my fault'

'No, Castiel' Legolas whispered softly. 'Gondien defended you until the very end. He would not want you to have qualms and he preferred even death than running away. It may sound impossible to you now, but, believe me, it is not your fault'

He remembered the letter and handed it to her.

'It is for you' he explained. 'Gondien gave it to Nestaron and Veryan'

Thinking she would want to read it on her own, he wanted to stand up, but she grabbed his arm and Legolas gasped at the strength and the pain her grip was reflecting.

'Please, stay. Do not leave me alone now, please, I will die'

'Alright' he comforted her and saw her reading the letter, although a few tears fell on the parchment.

_My dear Castiel,_

_I hope this letter will find you alive and safe. Maeron, the guard who watches over me, was so kind to give me everything I needed to write it. He believes what happens should never happen, but I believe that a true warrior must face his fate without tears and grieving._

_I never regretted to help you escape and you know this very well. All these years you were suffering and nobody except me knew it. Not even I would know it if it was not your severe injury that almost killed you. Your father was torturing you, this is why I decided to help you, since you did not want to speak. Besides, do not forget that, if your father was innocent, he would let me speak, not doom me to death, like he did._

_Castiel, do not blame yourself for what will happen to me, for convincing me to help you escape. You know that, if you had not run away, your father would kill you sooner or later. I want you to remember me, to remember everything we lived together, the good moments, the bad ones, the funny ones. Remember me and laugh with everything we shared and do not cry. I always cared for you as if you were my sister and I do not want to think you are sad. I am sure that, wherever you are, you are alright, you are so skilled and so gentle, that you will move on. Always have in your mind that, wherever you are, if you are with people who love you because you are who you are, you are home and never forget that, even if I will leave this world, as long as I am in your thoughts, I will be by your side._

_I wish you well, Castiel. U-firo i laiss e-guil gin. _

_Your loyal friend,_

_Gondien_

Castiel's tears were covering her eyesight so much, that she barely read the last lines. Her face had become red from crying and she was feeling her voice was stuck inside her. She folded the letter and hid it under her pillow. Then she took her necklace in her hand and tried to think that Gondien was with her beloved mother, her sweet mother, but even this could not give her warmth. The two most important persons for her were both dead. She rubbed her forehead, for her head was spinning.

A stroke on her back reminded her that Legolas was still there and she turned to him. His eyes were full with sadness, although he was trying not to show it.

'Come, Castiel' he said gently. 'You can not stay here. It is not helping you'

'I can not move, Legolas, I feel numb'

'I know. Let us go for a walk in the archery field, the fresh air will help you. And there you will talk to me about Gondien. You can not hold it inside you'

He stood up and offered her his hand. After some minutes, Castiel took it and he helped her stand up. They walked out of the room, the sad prince and the heartbroken princess and if anyone would see them, he would never think that only days ago they did not know each other.

Elvish words/phrases used:

Nanneth- Mother

Mellon nin- My friend

U-firo i laiss e-guil gin- May the leaves of your life never die

**A/N: Well, guys, that was it for now. I know, I know, you want to kill me, right? I'm sorry for being so dramatic, but this is how I have planned the story in my mind. Can't wait for your reviews.**


	6. Chapter 6: Starting to understand

**A/N: Hello, my precious friends :D I'm terribly sorry for not updating lately, but I was completely stuck. But, thank the Valar, today I had inspiration enough to post another chapter :) Ok, in this chapter, Legolas discovers why Castiel is acting so mysterious. Also, Gondien, who died, was not her only ally from her homeland. Maeron, the Elf I'm mentioning, is in Chapter 4, if you don't remember him.**

**Lavender-wash- Hannon le :D I hope you'll like the new chapter too.**

**Guest- Thanks a lot :) And the relationship between them will become even better ;) It already starts from this chapter.**

**slytherensangel26- Thank you, my friend, I'm happy you liked it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Lord of the Rings', only the characters I create.**

Castiel's breath was rhythmic. Her expression was so innocent, so angelic, that it was reminding Legolas of the first day of the arrival, when he had found her asleep. Maybe tonight she would sleep peacefully. The Mirkwood prince hoped for that. Four days had passed since Gondien's death and during of these days, Castiel was like a walking dead. She was rarely going out of her room, she had not gone to the archery field and she always was ready to cry. Legolas was feeling useless as he was seeing her like this and he was wondering why she was punished this way, although she had not done anything wrong. She had lost her mother, she had a painful childhood and now she had lost her closest friend.

He moved her blanket to her shoulders and stood up to go to sleep as well. If it was in his hand, he would stay with her, but yesterday she had expressed her qualms that he was worried about her. At this memory, Legolas remembered the fght they had only today.

" '_Castiel, please, let us go for a walk' he suggested her, trying to sound confident, but clearly begging her. He could not see her like this._

'_Legolas, I have told you already I have no mood' she resisted, frowning._

'_But do you not understand that this is not good for you?' Legolas made another attempt. 'I understand your sadness, but you are harming yourself this way. I am only trying to help you'_

'_I did not ask you to help me!' Castiel yelled, making him gasp and step backwards, terrified from her reaction, for he had not seen her like this before. 'In fact, it would be much better if you would leave me alone!'_

'_To leave you alone?' he repeated, yelling as well. 'How can I leave you alone if you are suffering like this? In the end, we will find you dead in the forest!' "_

He had walked out of her room, but the next moment he wanted to go back. He was not angry at her, for he had understood that it was an outburst because of what had happened. And now, as he was watching her sleeping, he vowed to protect her and make her smile again.

At that moment, the young maiden moved in her sleep and that movement made the left sleeve of her nightgown lower a little. Legolas wanted to pull it back, but as he was leaning down, he noticed something on her arm. There was a large bruise, only days old. The dark color scared him more than anything else. Not even when he was fighting during the War of the Rings did he not experience such a great fear. The thoughts and the suspicions started dancing in his mind, as he was connecting everything together.

The fact that she had run away from her homeland.

Her terrified expression when he found her in the Mirkwood forest.

Her refusal to say anything about herself at the beginning.

The way she shuddered when she mentioned the name of her realm.

The things Nestaron and Veryan told him in private, after returning from Almaarea, about Gondien's statement that Castiel's father was behind her cautiousness.

The way she was acting towards him, as if she was afraid of him, but liked his presence at the same time. The invisible, but obvious wall she had built between them, as if she was trying to protect him from something-her past.

Everything had become clear now. Through a coincidence he had understood everything. The shock of the realization packed him so hard, that he collapsed back on his seat, rubbing his temples.

_Can it be possible? _he thought. _But it is the only explanation. So much suffering, so much sorrow…_

The pain was there again, like it was since she was a little girl. She was lying on the cold ground, unable to defend herself, with a shadow over her. In a sudden, Gondien appeared and attempted to help her, but he disappeared almost at once. She called for him, but there was no hope. But then Legolas rushed in the room, distracting her attacker from her. The man started fighting against the Elf, stabbing him with his sword.

'Legolas, no!' Castiel yelled, her fingers grabbing her blanket, with a tormented expression on her beautiful face. 'Please, do not die!'

A strong shaking on the shoulder made Legolas wake up abruptly. His clear, blue eyes met Sidhion's light brown ones. He was looking very upset.

'Sidhion, mellon nin, what is wrong?' he wanted to know, afraid that something bad had happened.

'Legolas, pardon me for disturbing you, but Lady Castiel is not well. She is yelling your name in her sleep and I can not wake her up'

Before Sidhion could even finish his sentence, Legolas had jumped on his feet and was running to her room, with the bruise he had seen still in his mind.

_So much for my hopes that she would sleep calmly._

He found Castiel in a miserable situation. She was bathed in sweat, her blanket was wrapped around her body as she was spinning around. At her sight, Legolas's composure abandoned him and he could not think clearly.

'Legolas!' Castiel screamed again, so loudly, as if someone was torturing her. Legolas grabbed her shoulders and shook her, whispering consoling words, although he was desperate himself.

'Castiel…Castiel, wake up. I am here, everything is well, wake up'

Her eyes, which were lakes of tears, opened in a sudden and she rose up in her bed. The young prince cupped the side of her face, stroking her hair gently.

'Shh…Do not fear, Castiel' he mumbled. 'It was only a bad dream'

First she looked at him confused, as if she could not remember who he was or where she was. Then, with a sudden and wild move, she hugged him so tightly, that he gasped for air. Even though, he hugged her back, rubbing her shoulders, which were shaking from the sobs.

'It was…It was terrible' she stuttered. 'Someone attacked me…You tried to help me…But he killed you'

Legolas pulled away softly, with his care for her becoming bigger. Even if he had not solved the mystery of her past, he wanted to keep her safe.

'Do not think about it anymore' he comforted her. 'I am here and I am alright. I swear, I will not leave you'

'Can you…Can you sleep here tonight?' she begged him. 'I will feel more secure'

Her look was so pleading, that he could not refuse. He nodded and a small smile appeared on Castiel's face. She sank again on her pillows. Legolas moved and sat next to her, resting his back on the wall. Castiel's green-brown eyes closed again and she fell asleep.

'Sleep, aranel, sleep' Legolas whispered. 'I am with you'

A new day came in Almaarea. For most of them, nothing had changed. They were doing the things they were always doing. But for Maeron, the Elf who was guarding the late Gondien, nothing had changed. Lady Castiel, whom he highly appreciated, had run away and Gondien, his friend, was dead. He was trying to hide these emotions from Lord Alarois, but in reality he wanted to tell everybody what a man he was.

As he was walking past the throne hall, he heard Lord Alarois mentioning his daughter's name. Without second thoughts, he stopped walking and pressed his ear on the closed door.

'I do not know where she is' the ruler of Almaarea was saying. 'But I plan to search for her. Not at once. I am planning to start in a few days. But I will find her and she will learn that she can not escape so easily from me'

That was enough for Maeron, who quickly continued his way, lost in his thoughts. Suspicions he was holding inside him for years, suspicions about who Lord Alarois really was, had become true. But he knew what to do. He ran to the stables and saddled his horse.

The guard who was at the gate looked at him surprised.

'Are you going to hunt, Maeron?' he wanted to know, looking at his quiver.

'Yes' he lied. 'I have not been in the forest for a long time and it will be a good chance. Besides, my horse needs training'

'I wish you to have fun' the guard replied and opened the gate.

A few minutes later, Maeron had left Almaarea behind him. He knew where the Woodland Realm was and he was sure they would believe him, considering Castiel's staying there. He would ask to speak to her, King Thranduil and Prince Legolas and warn them about the danger. He owed this, not only to Gondien, but also to the young princess and himself.

_Do not worry, Lady Castiel. Gondien has left this world, but I will protect you, like he did._

Elvish words/phrases used:

Mellon nin- My friend

**A/N: Alright, guys, that was it for now. Hope you liked the chapter and, as always, I am open to any advice and opinion. I'll try to post the next chapter within the next days :)**


	7. Chapter 7: You are not alone

**A/N: Hello, everyone :) I know it's been a long time, but I had some problems lately, so I couldn't update. Thank God, everything's well now and another chapter is here. Hope you'll like it and I promise that from now on I'll write more often.**

**LalaithElerrina- Thank you so much, my friend :) Not only because you like the story, but also because you found the patience to review all chapters. I hope you'll like the new one too.**

**DearReviewer- Thanks a lot :) Yeah, I know it's still a bit dry, but from this chapter sparks fly around ;) Also *SPOILER* *SOILER* it gets better in the next chapter, hehe.**

**Emeraldbuttercup- First of all, allow me to say that you have a very melodic username. I'm glad you like the story :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Lord of the Rings', only the characters I create.**

The bright sun shining over the Woodland Realm was making a contrast with the mood of the two male Elves who were walking in the archery field. They had the same expression, sad, confused and angry. But Legolas was also feeling guilty. He had just told Sidhion about the bruise he had seen on Castiel's arm and unanswered questions could not let him rest.

_Why did I not guess it earlier? The signs were there: the fear, the cautiousness, the silence. How could I not see it? And how can I protect her now?_

Yesterday, while he was sitting awake next to her, after her nightmare, he had realized something. If anything would happen to her from now on, it would be his fault, for he knew the truth. He did not dare to tell her this, but, knowing that keeping it a secret would not help, he had decided to share it with Sidhion, whom he trusted and respected.

'Legolas, I am sorry, but I still can not believe it' Sidhion returned him to reality. 'It is impossible for me to imagine that a father can be that cruel to his only child. Why did he do that?'

'I wish I had an answer, mellon nin, but I am confused as well' Legolas replied sadly. 'The only thing I can tell you is that he was doing this for a long time'

'How did you make this conclusion?' the young warrior wanted to know.

'Because it brought Castiel in such a desperate situation, that she decided to run away from her home' Legolas explained calmly and Sidhion nodded in agreement. Although he did not know her well, he was feeling sympathy for the half-elven maiden and he wanted to help the prince to give her comfort.

'We will help her, Legolas' he promised. 'We will not allow anyone to harm her again'

Before Legolas could answer, the two Elves saw Nestaron running to them, looking very upset.

'Prince Legolas, Sidhion!' he exclaimed. 'I have news. Maeron has just arrived!'

'Maeron?' Legolas repeated the name. For some reason, it sounded familiar to him, but he could not remember where he had heard it. Nestaron, sensing their confusion, quickly helped them.

'Maeron is the Elf who was guarding Gondien, Lady Castiel's friend in her homeland. He says he comes in friendship and wishes to speak to you, my Prince, the king and Lady Castiel'

Legolas looked worried at Sidhion and his protective feelings towards Castiel increased. She had told him that Gondien was her only friend, but maybe Maeron was on their side as well and he should trust him.

'Go, Legolas' Sidhion encouraged him, making the same thought. 'You should listen to what he wants to announce you, for it could be of great importance'

When Castiel entered the throne hall and saw Maeron, she could not suppress a lod gasp. Nights and nights she was having nightmares about Almaarea and everything she had been through there and now she had him in front of her. If Gondien was not informing her in his letter that Maeron helped him, she would suspect a trap from her father.

Maeron, on the other hand, smiled at her sight. He had never shown it open, but he was appreciating his lady's strength and kindness, especially now, with Gondien's death being a thorn for both of them. He bowed deeply towards her.

'Lady Castiel, I am very happy to see you safe' he said sincerely. 'I assure you, I wish you no harm. I came here with the purpose to help you'

'Hannon le, Maeron' Castiel responded. 'And thank you for the help you offered to Gondien. It means a lot to me to know that he was not alone'

'I know that you must be still grieving, but something happened since then, something that should worry you more'

'What is it?' Castiel asked, with her eyes wandering from Maeron to Legolas and his father. Legolas smiled to her to give her courage and poiinted at a seat next to him.

'Havo dad, Castiel' his voice was low and gentle. 'Soon we will learn the news'

The Almaarea princess sat impatiently and locked her gaze in Maeron's one, trying to interpret his expression and with fear growing inside her. But, in a sudden, the guard seemed to feel uncomfortable, even scared.

'What is it?' she asked again, raising her voice. 'Maeron, I beg you, tell me what is wrong!'

'I promise you that we will listen to you very carefully' King Thranduil made an attempt to help him. 'We will act at once, whatever the problem is'

'I do not have a doubt about that, my King, but I am afraid there is not much we can do' Maeron sighed. 'Lord Alarois, your father, Lady Castiel, plans to start searching for you in a few days. He is very furious because of your disappearance'

Months later, Castiel would remember that she almost stopped breathing when she heard these words. Tears filled her eyes and she could almost see her father next to her, laughing ironically, with his fists beating her. Legolas, seeing her reaction and connecting it with the bruise he had seen, felt the same despair. Despair because he wanted to protect her, because he would not endure it if anything would happen to her. He looked at his father and softly rubbed Castiel's shoulder.

;And this is not the worst' Maeron went on. 'Lord Alarois did not mention it, but I am sure that he will call Lord Daechir to help him'

This name. The name Castiel feared even more than her father's one. The image of a young man with dark brown hair and black eyes like the night appeared in her mind.

_" 'I do not want to hear any objections, young lady' her father told her warningly. 'Daechir is a very wealthy man and you will marry him, whether you like it or not'_

_'No!' she resisted intensively. 'You can not order me what to do, for I have the control over my life and I will marry the man I will choose!'_

_And then the pain was there again, so great like she had never felt it before"_

'Who is Lord Daechir?' Legolas wanted to know.

'He is a lord of Almaarea and distant related to my father' Castiel informed him, shuddering. 'My father wanted to force me to marry him, but I did not want to'

Only the fact that a plan was necessary now helped Legolas to remain calm. A violent father, a forced marriage...His heart filled with anger because of the terror Castiel had lived. Knowing her and the secret she was bearing, he assumed that the reasons she did not want to marry this lord was either the fact that her father had chosen him or that he was as evil as Lord Alarois.

_Or both_, he thought with a melancholic smile.

'I came, because I believe that you do not deserve all this, Lady Castiel' Maeron ended up. 'And I wish with all my heart to see you happy'

'Thank you, Maeron' the maiden whispered and stood up abruptly. 'You have my eternal gratitude for warning me. I know what I have to do'

And with these words she ran outside, with the three Elves following her with their eyes.

'Ada, let me go to her' Legolas pleaded his father. 'I know where she is going'

'Of course, ion nin' Thranduil answered. 'In such times the presence of a friend is most important and you are the closest person she has right now'

With a quick nod towards Maeron, Legolas stood up and rushed behind Castiel, having a suspicion what her plan was and praying he would be able to make her change her mind.

He found her in the stables, saddling Beleg, her horse, with cold determination on her face, but ready to cry. At her sight, Legolas felt his composure disappearing, for he did not know how to give her comfort. She was strong inside, he was sure about that, but her past had made her scared, seeiming weak in someone's eyes. But now he had to be tough in order to convince her, so he cleared his throat.

'Where do you think you are going?' he asked her, with both anger and sadness marking his voice.

'Not this time, Legolas' she responded without turning to him. 'This time you can not help me. I have no other choice!'

'You have choice!' Legolas disagreed and his anger was now clearer than his sadness, something that made her look at him surprised. 'You have the choice to stay and defend yourself and your dreams. There is no need to run away all the time!'

'What are you implying?' she shouted and he made a step backwards, scared of her reaction. There it was again. Yesterday she was the sensitive princess who was negging him to help her and now she was acting as if she was hating him. 'Are you implying that I am a coward? That I run away from my problems?'

'Well, this is the truth!' Legolas yelled back. It was not his intention to hurt her, but this was the only way to bring her bravery and her strength to surface, to make her understand that he would never leave her.

'In case you did not understand, Legolas' she said, trying to sound calm again 'my father and the man I would marry will search for me. My father knows that I feel closer with the Elves and so he will go to all elven realms. Do you know what this means?'

She made a small pause, balling her hands into fists. Legolas wanted to tell her that he did not care, that he would stay with her whatever would happen, but he waited patiently for her to continue.

'The first time I ran away to save myself. Now I am running away to save you and your kin from two dangerous men'

'But this is not the only solution, Castiel' Legolas put his hands on her arms and did not ignore the light wave of shudder. Surely he had touched a bruise accidentally and loosened his grip. 'You are not alone and it is a mistake if you think that. You have allies and friends. Gondien died to defend you. Maeron came here from your homeland to warn you about your father. My father allowed you to stay here as long as you wish. And I...You know I will do anything it takes to keep you safe'

'This is the problem, Legolas' a few tears escaped from Castiel's eyes, but she wiped them away. 'Everyone who wants to keep me safe dies. I can not cause more deaths, especially to you'

'It is not your fault' he said determined and pulled her into his hug. 'Listen to me. You will stay and when your father arrives, I will be by your side. As long as you are alright, I am not afraid of anyone'

Castiel did not want to agree. She wanted to release herself from his arms, mount Beleg and ride away to go and live in a small village to protect him. But, instinctively, she wrapped her arms around him, feeling secure, as always when he was with her.

'Forgive me, Legolas' she mumbled. 'Forgive me'

Legolas pulled away, cupped her face and pressed his forehead against hers, with a tender smile on his face.

'Shall we go inside?' he said, showing with this simple question his willingness to be next to her. Castiel nodded, smiling back. It was one of the few times Legolas was seeing her smile and he felt happy that he had chased her sadness away, even for a while. He put his arm around her shoulder and the two of them walked into the castle, ready to face any diffculty that would come.

Elvish words/phrases used:

Mellon nin- My friend

Hannon le- Thank you

Havo dad- Sit down

Ada- Father

Ion nin- My son

**A/N: Ok, guys, that was it for now. Hoe you enjoyed it. For one more time, Legolas could give courage to Castiel and *SPOILER* *SPOILER* something really positive happens for them in the next chapter ;) But, alas, in the next chapter her father and her almost-husband arrive and I have to warn you: you won't like them at all.**


	8. Chapter 8: Love, hate and hypocrisy

**A/N: Hi, everyone, how are you? Ok, here's the next chapter, I really hope you guys will like it. In this chapter, both positive and negative things happen and poor Castiel is in the middle of everything.**

**Emeraldbuttercup- Hannon le, mellon nin, I'm really happy you like the story so much :)**

**Gotta Dance 88- And it gets even sweeter in this one, tehee ;) I thought it would be good if there was a balance between good and evil in this chapter.**

**Sukki18- Hahahahaha, I really wish I could do this, but then the storywouldn't develop. But you are free to swear at Castiel's father and ex-fiance as much as you want, especially *SPOILER* *SPOILER* in the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Lord of the Rings', only the characters I create **

Legolas was walking up and down in his room, forbidding the sleep to defeat him. His restless spirit and his negative thoughts did not let him lie down, although he knew that a good night's sleep would surely help him. But he was too nervous about the possible arrival of Lord Alarois and Lord Daechir in a few days, too worried for Castiel.

He could see her in front of him with his imagination, her sweet face, tormented and afraid because of the hardships she had been through, almost tired of her own life.

_No_, Legolas shook his head to get rid of the thought. _I must not think like that. She would never do it._

But he could not stop thinking about her. He knew that, from the moment she had arrived in his homeland, their lives would always be connected. She would follow him even if he was far away from her. His feelings for her were various, the feelings of a brother, a friend, a protector…a lover.

The realization packed him like a huge wave, so hard, that he had to take a deep breath. But he had no doubt that this was the truth. What he was feeling towards Castiel was more than simple friendship, more than willingness to keep her safe. He wanted her to be in his life, to move on with her in sorrow and in happiness, to help her and to be helped by her. Her face, her rare smile, her shining eyes, her voice, even her anger, was so valuable for him, that his heart was aching only at the thought of losing her.

His mind travelled to her father and the man she would marry and he swore to be by her side, as he had promised. His father had explained to him that they would treat them with kindness, but with only purpose to find out their true intentions.

_'I promise you, my son, even if they will pretend to be happy to see her, I will not believe them. If everything was alright, she would never run away. So do not be afraid. We will defend her, you have my word on that'_

Castiel was standing in front of her window, looking at the beautiful forest outside, trying to calm down from the long waiting. Five days had already passed since Maeron had come with the news that her father would search for her and nothing had happened. Maeron, Sidhion, Veryan and Nestaron were watching out from the towers every day. She was going through a circle of emotions: agony, terror, temporary relief and then agony again, together with a question: "Why has nothing happened yet?" And in all these feelings, she was also scared for Legolas. There were moments she was regretting for her choice to stay in the Woodland Realm, thinking that it would be better if she had left.

In a sudden, to confirm her thoughts, she heard Maeron's voice right outside her room.

'They are coming! Lady Castiel, they are coming!'

Cold chills ran down her spine and she closed her eyes for a moment. The time had come. The time to face her past with her own eyes. With a determination that startled her, she decided to cover any signs of fear. She would not give them the satisfaction to show them that she was afraid, that she was the weak, useless girl her father believed.

Maeron entered in her chamber, looking upset, not for himself, but for Castiel. He could guess the drama she was living right now and he was not feeling well either, for he would see the man who was responsible for Gondien's death.

'Are you alright, my lady? Do you feel ready?'

'Yes, Maeron, I am fine' she lied. 'From the moment I decided to stay, I knew this would come sooner or later'

Maeron nodded, not sure if she was telling the truth, but not wanting to pressure her.

'They will be here at any moment. Would you like me to escort you?

Castiel smiled, touched by the fact that he was caring about her. She was feeling guilty for him, for the fact that he had run away from Almaarea to warn her. On the other hand, she was happy to have him here, the only person of her realm, excepting Gondien, whom she was considering a friend.

'Hannon le, Maeron, but there is no need for that. You may go ahead and tell them that I will be there soon. Besides, I have to get myself ready, have I not?' she left a small laughter.

'Stay calm, my lady'

After bowing towards her, Maeron rushed in the throne hall, praying for Castiel's safety.

Lord Alarois and Lord Daechir of Almaarea were the hypocrisy in person. That was what Legolas thought when they were led in the throne hall by a servant. They treated him and his father with kindness, thanked them for saving Castiel and offering her a shelter. Even towards Maeron, the man who had revealed his plans to Castiel, running away from his homeland, they behaved as if they were happy to see him again.

_Castiel would not need that shelter if you had treated her as she deserves to be treated_, Legolas thought with the anger boiling inside his soul, despite the friendly smile that was marking his face. For the first time, he thought about Castiel's mother, wondering about the way Alarois was behaving towards her. Castiel had told him that her mother was kind, loving and sweet and the young prince of Mirkwood thanked her for raising such a wonderful daughter.

_" 'How did she die?' he asked her after a small hesitation, seeing her playing with the pendant around her neck. 'Do you remember?'_

_'My father told me she was poisoned' Castiel answered. 'Someone poisoned her in a way to hurt my father, for many had objections about a Man marrying a she-elf. At least, that is what he told me'_

_She had something in her expression he did not like, but he remained silent, waiting for her to go on._

_'First I believed him, for I was still a little girl when it happened, and very innocent as well. But later I started suspecting that the one who poisoned her was my father himself. He envied her kindness, her beauty, her immortality…' "_

Now that Legolas was reminiscing the conversation of the previous day, he thought if Castiel's suspicions were true. If Lord Alarois was abusing his own daughter for years, nothing would prevent him to kill his wife.

'Where is my daughter?' Lord Alarois's voice returned him to reality. 'I want so much to see her'

Legolas and his father exchanged looks of doubt. Surely, he was acting very well, the joy in his voice, his smile, everything was giving the impression that he was sincere. But they could not ignore the evil spark in his dark brown eyes.

'She is getting herself ready, my lord' Maeron responded, looking secretly at Legolas. 'She will come soon'

'I do not think she should come on her own' king Thranduil stated. 'She must be very…anxious about your meeting, Lord Alarois. With your permission, my son will escort her. Legolas, would you be so kind to go and tell her that her father is waiting?'

'It would be my pleasure, ada' the young Elf said, thanking him silently. As he was standing up, he noticed that Daechir was looking at him with irony, jealousy and hate. Not being afraid of them, he looked back at him and then left.

Meanwhile, Castiel had changed in a dark blue gown and had tied her hair in a neat braid with Melima's help. When the young maid curtsied and left, Castiel took some deep breaths to gain courage. She had done only a couple of steps, when someone knocked at the door and the man she trusted more than everybody else, the man who had saved her life and was by her side when she had her bad days, came in the room. She did not talk, she only stared at him.

'Castiel' Legolas started, his voice being low and calm 'they are waiting for you'

The half-elven maiden nodded, her expression serious as always. Legolas desired to vanish this seriousness, to see her smile, to finally hear her laughter. His good-natured heart filled with rage for the two men who had come.

But Castiel was not better. When she saw Legolas coming in, she realized they had not spent a single carefree moment together, laughing, talking, teasing each other. Since she came here, he was always worried about her, he was consoling her, he was taking care of her. And she did not want this for him.

As if he had read her thoughts, Legolas stretched his hand and softly caressed her cheek. His tender touch brought tears in her eyes and she remembered Daechir, who had never shown her any sign of affection or even respect. She wanted to thank him for everything, but her voice was stuck inside her.

'You will be alright, Castiel. I swear to my life, to hurt you, they have to kill me first' Legolas whispered, his face only inches away from hers. Before she could think of something to say, he leaned in and kissed her gently. And the same second, all negative feelings Castiel was bearing, disappeared and were replaced by a happiness she had never felt before. This was everything she wanted. Why could they not stay like this forever, away from everyone, away from all this who was standing between them?

After some seconds, which seemed like centuries to both of them, they pulled away at the same time, their heads leaning to each other. Castiel's mind travelled to her father and Daechir and this destroyed the magic.

'We should go' she whispered and Legolas nodded. Castiel placed her hand around Legolas's arm and he covered her hand with his, in a last attempt to give her comfort.

The first thing Castiel saw while entering the throne hall was her father talking with Daechir and king Thranduil. When they heard their steps, silence fell in the room and Lord Alarois stood up. Legolas let her go and sat next to his father again, avoiding everybody's gaze. Not knowing how to react, Castiel made a small curtsey.

'Father' she uttered under her breath, looking him in the eyes, although his presence was more than enough to bring the clouds back.

'Castiel!' he exclaimed joyfully. 'My beloved daughter!' He approached her and hugged her tightly. Shocked by his greeting, the princess of Almaarea stood there, like a statue, not moving. And this feeling got worse.

'I swear, you will pay for everything' he whispered angrily in her ear, making her shudder and pulling away from his arms.

Daechir was as she was remembering him, with those black eyes that had scared her from the first moment she met him. The man she would marry bowed deeply towards her, following Alarois's example.

'My lady, I am so pleased to see you again'

'Lord Daechir' she replied simply, inclining her head politely. Since she was not sure about their true intentions and since they were pretending to be happy to see her, she would react the same way…for the time.

'We were all very worried about you' Lord Alarois continued. 'We had thought something terrible had happened to you'

Nothing about Gondien and how she was feeling about his death. Castiel looked at Maeron, who gave her a sad smile, thinking the same thing, and only thanks to her good manners she managed to keep her composure. And despite her weakness, despite how she was feeling when she was with them, she vowed that this time she would fight. Legolas was right, running away from her problems would not help. She would do anything to protect him and to defend herself. Her hand, instinctively, touched her mother's necklace.

_I do not know what strength I will need, nanneth, but I will not let him defeat me again. You were protecting me until the end and now it is my turn to do the same._

Elvish words/phrases used:

Hannon le- Thank you

Ada- Father

Nanneth- Mother

**A/N: Alright, mellon nins, that was it for now, hope you liked it. So, Legolas and Castiel realized they love each other, but what will happen when Alarois and Daechir show their true face? Can't wait for your reviews and what you think about the two men. xx**


	9. Chapter 9: Face the enemy

**A/N: Hello, guys, what's up? Here you go, another chapter is here. First of all, special thanks to ashley44, who gave me many useful ideas for this chapter, because I was a bit stuck :D Also, I have to warn you, we have a lot of drama (again) and Legolas proves, for one more time, that he can sacrifice everything for those he loves- even his own life.**

**Sukki18- Sorry for the cliffie. Oh my, if the beeps have already started, I don't dare to imagine what you'll write in this chapter. You're free to kill those two, I only hope you won't kill me after reading it.**

**ashley44- Thanks again for your long review and for your help, my friend :) I hope you'll like the new chapter.**

**Seriya Silvermist- Thanks a lot, I'm happy you like it :) You won't believe it, but it's exactly how I have planned to develop the story. You'll see it in this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LOTR, Tolkien does.**

Castiel did not sleep well that night. The events of the day and what had happened between her and Legolas made her spinning around, in a situation between sleeping and being awake. Persons and images were passing fast in front of her eyes, so near and so far away at the same time. She woke up a few minutes after sunrise and, knowing that she could not fall asleep again, she stood up, prepared herself and went down to eat breakfast.

In the table hall she found only king Thranduil, Maeron and Daechir, who looked at her, although she tried to ignore his gaze. She sat down beside Maeron, attempting to behave as if Daechir was not there.

'You woke up early, Castiel' Thranduil commented. 'Did you not sleep well?'

'I slept very well, thank you for your concern' she answered. 'I rested enough. Is anybody else awake?'

'Sidhion is, but he stood up from breakfast a few minutes ago' Maeron told her. 'He went to the archery field'

Castiel had not practiced archery for many days. Gondien's death and everything that had followed had brought such an overthrow in her life and her feelings, that she had the impression that a long time would pass, even after her father and Daechir's departure, before she could be well again.

'From the moment I arrived, my King, I must say I admired your grounds' Daechir said. 'Do you mind if I leave and go for a walk, together with Lady Castiel?'

Under the table of oak wood, Castiel's hands were balled into fists, so tightly, that her knuckles had become white. That was what she was afraid of: staying alone with the man who used to be her betrothed. She took a deep breath, wondering how he would act. Sensing her despair, but knowing that there was no other choice, Thranduil nodded and they left.

'Did…Did you have a pleasant sleep?' Castiel asked as they were exiting the castle, in an attempt to sound kind.

'Very pleasant, my lady. The Woodland Realm is as beautiful as I had imagined'

_And it would be much more beautiful without you and my father's presence_, Castiel thought.

As they were passing the archery field, her eyes met with Sidhion's ones. His expression became worried when he saw her in Daechir's company, but he nodded in encouragement towards her. He then returned to his practice, but his ears were concentrated on the direction they had gone, in case something would happen.

'So, how do you like it here?' Daechir asked sweetly, but with his evil smile and his black eyes betraying him. Castiel, although afraid of the consequences, would not give him the satisfaction to hide the truth.

'I like it very well, thank you' she responded kindly. 'I am treated as if I am a member of the family and I have found wonderful friends here'

'And not only friends, I presume' her former betrothed commented ironically and Castiel's eyes narrowed from the anger she was feeling.

'I am afraid I do not understand what you are referring to' she said smiling, for with this comment, Daechir had proved that his intentions were anything but pure. Nevertheless, she would never put Legolas in this. She would protect him just like he had protected her.

'I think you know very well what I am referring to' hate had started to mark Daechir's voice. 'Do not think I have not noticed the intimacy between you and the princeling'

The young maiden did not reply anything, on the contrary, her smile grew even wider. Daechir had started to show his true face and she knew that the victory was hers. But her silent triumph did not last for long, because the lord of Almaarea, furious because of her smile, pushed her to a wall so hard, that her back hurt, wrapping his hands around her throat.

'This smile will soon disappear from your face' Daechir hissed. 'You may think you won, but nothing is over yet. You ran away to get free? Well, learn that you will never be free. I will hunt you wherever you go and you will never find peace, never!'

With these words he released his grip and walked away, leaving her alone, gasping for air and rubbing her throat. She was feeling a sudden dizziness and she had to lean against the wall to prevent herself from collapsing, wondering what she should do. She did not want to go inside, but she knew that sooner or later she had to. Just at that moment, Sidhion approached her.

'Lady Castiel? Are you not well?' he asked concerned, although the answer was obvious.

'I...I will be in a few minutes' she answered to comfort him. 'Trust me, I will be fine'

'Lady Castiel, with all the respect, there is no need to lie to me. I know how Lord Alarois and Lord Daechir influence you and there is nothing you should blame yourself for' he reassured her, smiling consoling at her.

Castiel tried to return the smile, appreciating the Elf's attempts to make her feel better, but she was looking in the distance, lost in her thoughts and praying that the day of her father's and Daechirs departure would come soon.

'Please' she remembered something and turned to Sidhion again 'do not tell Legolas anything about this. I do not want to worry him even more'

'Of course, I will not say a word' he lied, although this was his purpose. Knowing how much his friend cared for her and that Castiel needed as much help as possible, he decided to warn his friend that, as long as the two men were staying here, Castiel's life was in grave danger.

The same afternoon and while King Thranduil was in his library with his son, Castiel in the archery field with Veryan and Sidhion and Maeron hunting in the Mirkwood forest with Nestaron, Daechir managed to sneak into the table hall, smiling evilly. He was holding a small flask in his hands and his heart started beating faster in excitement for what he would do. He was not feeling guilty, because Castiel never meant anything to him and he wanted to vanish the ironic smile she had confronted him with.

As he had hoped, the goblets were already placed on the long table, filled with wine. Soon the others would come soon and they would eat at once, something he would use for his own benefits. With slow, dramatic moves, he opened the flask and shed the liquid that was inside into Castiel's goblet.

'With this you will sleep peacefully, my dear Castiel' he whispered and quickly left the hall, sure that his plan would work.

What he did not know, though, was that Legolas had followed him and had seen what he had done. During his conversation with his father in the library, Legolas had decided to always have an eye on their visitor, especially after Sidhion had told him what had happened in the morning between Daechir and Castiel. At that moment, he had noticed Daechir walking past the library and took the chance immediately. Now he was standing behind Castiel's seat, looking at the goblet, having the feeling that he had never felt such hate before.

_I can not believe it. Not only were they giving her a hard time in the past, but now they want to kill her as well._

But Legolas would never allow this and his heart took a decision almost nobody else would take. He could not warn Castiel, because this would draw Lord Alarois's and Daechir's suspicions and they would form a new plan. He would drink the poison himself, saving Castiel this way and leaving himself in the hands of Nestaron, who was very good healer. And if he did not make it, at least he would have the satisfaction that he had saved Castiel. Of course his death would hurt her. She had lost many people, not only her mother and Gondien, but also her father, from the moment he started to abuse her. Legolas was having qualms for causing more pain to her, but he hoped that Sidhion, Maeron, Nestaron and Veryan would explain to her why he did this and that she would understand.

He took her goblet and, afraid that someone would come in soon, switched it with his. The goblets were identical and neither Castiel nor anybody else would notice the change, at least at the beginning. He wondered, with a small laughter, how much time would pass until the poison would work and how Lord Alarois and Daechir would react when they would realize that they had poisoned the wrong person.

As he was walking out of the room, he fell on Castiel. At her sight, everything became more difficult. He had hoped that he would see her when they would eat, not before. Now he had to farewell her, with implies, of course, and he was not sure about what he should say to her. Even though, he smiled.

'Have you finished practicing?' he asked her and she nodded.

'Yes, I think it was enough for today' she said. 'Veryan and Sidhion are also coming. Have you seen my father and Lord Daechir?'

This question, showing her fear that they were near. How did she, a beautiful, strong and kind princess, end up like this? Being afraid of her own father, afraid that he could harm her behind her back.

_Which almost happened_, the young prince thought bitterly.

'Legolas' she whispered 'I am really sorry for...for putting you and your father through this'

'Do not say this again' the Elf shook his head. 'Castiel, you are feeling guilty, although you are the least who should. I am sure that from now on everything will go well for you. And you must never forget' at this moment Legolas's smile faded from his face and his mind travelled to the goblet in the table hall 'that, whatever happens, wherever I am, I will always be near you. And you have many friends here,who are willing to help you stand on your feet'

Castiel became serious again and she looked at him with eyes full of fear.

'Why are you saying this to me now?' she wanted to know.

'Because your father and Lord Daechir are here and I wanted you to know this'

Castiel nodded, not being fully convinced, but not wanting to pressure him either. Maybe her fear because of her father's staying was so visible, that he wanted to comfort her.

'So' Legolas continued, suddenly wanting to put an end 'I will go to rest a little'

'Alright' Castiel said. 'I will see you in a few minutes'

After Legolas continued his way, Castiel's gaze followed him. Something in his words caused a very bad feeling and she was afraid that something would happen. But then she shook her head to get rid of the thought. Her complicated, dreadful past had made her unsecure and she always had the fear of losing her loved ones. Surely the danger was only in her imagination and nothing would happen. She grabbed her leaf-shaped necklace and prayed that her redemption would finally come.

'Is it done?' Lord Alarois asked him, looking carefully around, in case someone would overhear them.

'Yes, my lord, as we had planned it' Daechir's eyes glimpsed. 'I had told you she would pay and now it will happen'

**A/N: Ok, guys, that was it for now. Hope you like it, despite the drama. So, Legolas is willing to risk his life to save Castiel, but how will Alarois and Daechir react when they'll learn that it's Legolas and not Castiel who's dying? xx**


	10. Chapter 10: Darkness all around us

**A/N: Hi, my friends, how are you? Knowing that you would kill me if you would wait long, I sat down and wrote the next chapter. Poor Castiel jumps from one drama to the other, first her mother, then her best friend and now the man she loves.**

**Silverwind1313- Thanks a lot, I'm happy you liked it.**

**legolas-jj- To be honest, I was sad myself while I was writing Chapter 9. I'm glad you like it so far.**

**Seriya Silvermist- Hahahahaha, oh my God! I knew that someone would say that I'm devious because I poisoned Legolas.**

**ashley44- Hannon le, my friend :) Well, I had told you I would update tomorrow, but I had inspiration crisis from tonight...maybe your mystical powers are responsible ;)**

**Hirilnin- Thank you, hope you'll like the new chapter too.**

**Guest- Thanks, I hope you didn't wait long.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Lord of the Rings', I only own the characters I create.**

In the evening, Castiel was reading in the library, enjoying her loneliness, away from everything that was scaring her. Nobody had disturbed her, not even Daechir. On the contrary, from the moment they sat down on the table to eat, he was behaving strangely, for he was looking intensively towards her, as if he was expecting her to do something. What was even more strange, though, was the fact that from one moment he seemed furious and...scared?

Castiel sighed and tried to concentrate back in her book, but now her suspicions had invaded in her mind and were preventing her to focus. With a confused smile, she left the book on the shelf she had found it and went to search for Legolas, sure that his company would distract her. Since she had not seen him anywhere in the grounds, she presumed that he was in his room. She knocked lightly on the door, but, to her surprise, there was no answer.

_This is weird. Legolas never sleeps in the evenings. He always says evening is a wonderful time of the day and must not be wasted in things like sleeping._

She knocked again, this time louder, but the result was the same. After a small hesitation, the half-elven girl opened the door quietly and saw at once that Legolas was indeed sleeping. He was lying on the back, his arms resting on his sides, so peacefully, that he was barely breathing.

Barely breathing.

It was exactly this thought that made Castiel leave a loud gasp and run next to hm. She discoevered that he was bathed in sweat, his chest moving slowly, so slowly, that he was giving the impression of being already dead. Terrified, Castiel placed her hand on his forehead and was shocked when she felt the unnatural warmth. Despair packed her and she called for her loyal maid.

'Melima! Melima, come here!'

As if she was near, Melima rushed in the chamber, startled by her lady's screams.

'What is wrong, my lady?' she asked, but then her eyes fell on Legolas. 'The Prince! What happened?'

'Go and call King Thranduil!' she ordered her, unable to control her cracking voice. 'And Nestaron! And Sidhion! Just call someone!' she yelled and the first tears started streaming down her youthful face.

Without replying, Melima left as quickly as she could. Castiel kneeled beside Legolas's bed and pressed his hand on her forehead, praying for his life.

'Please, Legolas, hang tight' she begged him, having a feeling he could hear her. 'You can not die, no, you can not. Think about everything you will leave here. Think about your father, who has only you, about your friends...about me. I will not hold on if I lose you as well'

Soon afterwards, the king came running, followed by Nestaron, Maeron and Sidhion. Thranduil's face became a mask of pain at the sight of his only son. Nestaron, although upset, tried to stay calm, for he knew that this was his duty as healer. He put his fingers on the prince's wrist.

'His pulse is extremely weak' he stuttered and everybody looked at him. Thranduil caressed Legolas's cheek, mumbling under his breath. Nobody could hear what he was saying, but they were sure that he was praying for mercy.

'How did this happen, Castiel?' Sidhion turned to her.

'I do not know. I came, found him in this situation and called for you. I have no idea what could cause this'

In a sudden, Nestaron gasped. He looked at Legolas, than at the others and then out of the window, as if he was afraid to speak.

'How...How mach time passed since we sat down to eat?' he then said. 'Please, just answer that question'

'I do not remember exactly, mellon nin...' Maeron rubbed his chin. 'I think about two hours'

'Two hours' Nestaron replied. 'I start having a suspicion about what happened'

Before anybody could react, he pulled away Legolas's blanket and pulled up his left sleeve, revealing a large, black spot on his forearm.

'As I was fearing!' he exclaimed. 'Poison'

'Poison?' his companions yelled simultaneously and Thranduil looked at his son.

'Yes and a very rare one' Nestaron went on. 'It starts working about an hour after the victim drinks it. Apparently Legolas held on more, considering his elvish nature. This black spot is the difference between this poison and the others, for it can be easily misunderstood with a bruise'

Deadly silence followed his words, as they were all thinking about his words. Thranduil's situation was the worst.

'I can not believe it' he whispered. 'My son, the prince...Who could do this? Why would anyone want to poison him?'

Castiel raised her head and everything became clear for her. She knew very well who this "anyone" was and why he would do such a crime. If there was someone in Mirkwood to have reason to kill Legolas, it was Daechir and her father.

_Two are the possible explanations. Either Daechir poisoned Legolas's wine in an attempt to get rid of him or...or the poison was not destined for Legolas, but for me. And maybe Legolas saw it and...and wanted to take my place, to save my life...again. And his words earlier, that he will always be next to me, even if he will be far away...he wanted to say "farewell" and I did not realize it!_

Guilt overwhelmed her, her head sank on the bed and her shoulders started shaking from the loud sobs. She felt a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she pushed it away and jumped on her feet.

'I will be back soon' she announced and ran outside.

'Castiel!' Maeron called after her. 'Castiel, where are you going?' But when he got no answer, he rushed behind her, scared that she would do something reckless.

Alarois and Daechir were walking up and down in the grounds of the castle. According to Daechir, Castiel should be affected by the poison by now, but nobody had come to inform them.

'Do you think something went wrong?'

'Nothing went wrong' Daechir answered with self-confidence. 'She drank the wine, which means she has the poison inside her body'

He had just finished his sentence, when the door swung open. Their eyes widened when they saw Castiel running towards them, with Maeron following in a short distance.

'You have many explanations to give' Alarois hissed furiously.

'You did this, did you not?' she shouted, looking right at Daechir full of hate, wondering how she could ever accept to marry him. 'It is all your fault!'

'What did I do, my lady?' he pretended to have no idea what she was talking about. Maeron interfered, in order to protect Castiel from another outburst.

'Prince Legolas. He was poisoned and his situation is very severe'

'What?' the two men exclaimed at the same time and this time their surprise was not faked, realizing what this would mean.

'But how?' Alarois wondered, looking with sympathy at his daughter. 'Who could hate him so much? Poisoning a prince, that is treason'

'Do not act as if you are innocent, I know you too well!' Castiel turned towards him. 'And I also know very well that only you could be behind this!'

'I am afraid you are mistaking' Daechir smiled innocently. 'Both Lord Alarois and I appreciate the prince and never wished his harm. Besides, do you have any proof?'

'It is alright, Daechir' the ruler of Almaarea spoke before Castiel could answer. 'Her reaction is completely logical. After all, Prince Legolas was the one who found her and cared for her. It is normal for her to be so upset about this. I even think that we should leave now and return to our realm. It is not proper to stay while they are facing such a drama'

'Yes, this will be the best, that you leave now' Castiel nodded.

'Do not worry, my beloved daughter, we will. Do not lose your hope, the prince needs you strong. You will see that everything will be fine. But now it is better if you go to him'

'Come, Castiel' Maeron told her softly, rubbing her back to calm her. 'Let us go back inside'

The night had fallen over the Woodland Realm, dark, without stars. The room of the young prince who was fighting for his life was lit with candles, which were trying to comfort the grieving father and friends with their light, but without success. Veryan, Maeron and Sidhion, after Thranduil's insisting, had gone to sleep, leaving him with Castiel and Nestaron to watch over Legolas. The latter had gone to the library soon afterwards to search for the cure, although he had warned them that it was rare as the poison.

His situation had not become better. Despite Nestaron's hard attempts, the poison continued to exist in Legolas's body, making him weaker than he had ever been. He had not woken up from the moment he was found and they had to raise him to give him some water.

The Elvenking took a wet cloth and placed it on his son's forehead, trying to lessen the fever. He then threw a look towards Castiel and felt sorry for her. For hours now she had not left Legolas's side, she had not eaten anything and she had only drunk a few sips of water. Thranduil knew how important Legolas was for her and hoped that he would make it through, for himself and for all of them.

'Castiel' he whispered gently and she rose her head from her knees. Her face was very pale, making a contrast with her red eyes.

'Yes, my King?' her voice was low and hoarse from the crying.

'It is better if you go to sleep. I will stay here and if anything happens, I will inform you the next second'

'Thank you for your concern, my King, but it is my duty to stay here with him. I am alright, do not feel worried about me. Besides, you can not stay alone at such a difficult hour'

Thranduil smiled melancholically at her kindness. Despite her own despair, she was still trying to comfort the others. At this moment and having suspected the feelings Legolas had for her, he saw her as a daughter.

'Bless you, child' he said sincerely. 'Bless you. I want to see my son waking up, not only because he is my son, but because I want you to see him again'

Castiel smiled, touched by his words, although she could not be consoled. King Thranduil was not blaming her, but she knew that, no matter if Legolas was poisoned intentionally or accidentally, everything was her fault.

_I should never agree to stay here when I learned that my father and Daechir would arrive. And Legolas paid for this decision. But it is over now: when we will have specific news I will go away. I have to go away, I can not risk their lives anymore. In my presence they will always be in danger and I have to protect them, with any cost._

**A/N: So, guys, here we are, another chapter has come to an end. Legolas is fighting for his life and his loved ones are desparate...how will this end? And how will Castiel's father react towards Daechir, now that they know that they poisoned the wrong person? Can't wait for your reviews.**


	11. Chapter 11: One year later

**A/N: Hey, mellon nins, I'm back! I would update much sooner, but I had the damn writer's block. Special thanks to ashley44, who gave me huge help to create the new chapter :) Ok, it is settled a year after the previous one, hope you'll like it.**

**Seriya Silvermist- Thanks a lot, my friend, I'm glad you like it :)**

**legolas-jj- Hannon le, my friend :D**

**Shippments4ever0725- Thank you so much :) I'm happy you love Castiel/Legolas, although they have to suffer so much. I hope you'll like the new chapter as well.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LOTR, only the characters I create.  
**

This summer was unnatural warm. Not even a light breeze was blowing and the slightest movement was causing feelings of exhaustion. The sweat was running down Sidhion's face as he was walking around the courtyard of the Mirkwood palace, searching for Legolas. He had left in the morning and he was nowhere to be found since then, although his horse's presence in the stables was enough to comfort everyone that he had not gone very far.  
The young Elf left a loud sigh, for he was feeling extremely worried for his closest friend. For one year now he was another man, he seemed elder and more mature, he had given up his restless and adventurous side and nobody had heard his laughter, despite everyone's attempts. Sidhion was sad for him, knowing very well the reason behind the change in the prince's behavior.

After another hour of searching, he found Legolas sitting under a tree, staring in front of him, lost in his thoughts.

'There you are!' Sidhion exclaimed, making him turn towards him. 'I was searching for you!'

'Why?' Legolas asked startled. 'Is anything wrong? Did anything happen to my father or anyone else?'

Sidhion shook his head. It was always in Legolas's nature to be worried about those important to him, but since one year this worry had increased in a level that was almost scaring. He always wanted to know where everybody was and if there was anything they needed, while he was spending many hours talking with the guards, reassuring that there were no dangers threatening his homeland.

_I need to help him_, Sidhion thought. _He needs to be distracted. This situation is not good for him and it will develop into madness if he continues like this._

'Everyone is fine, Legolas' he answered to his friend's question with a serious voice and an even more serious look. 'It is you we are all worried about!'

'Why?' Legolas repeated, turning away again, looking in front of him.

Sidhion sighed and sat next to him. Only then he noticed how pale and tired Legolas was. Nestaron had saved him from the poison, but with a terrible cost. Sidhion's heart was full with sadness, so he could imagine how Legolas would feel. Even though, it was his duty to stand next to him and help him to move on.

'Legolas, it has been a whole year' he stated carefully, knowing he was talking about a very sensitive issure.

'I know' Legolas nodded. 'Yet I can not forget it. Where can she be, Sidhion? Not even Maeron has news from her. And, most important, why did she leave in first place?'

There was no need for Sidhion to respond, for both of them knew the answer, although they did not agree. Sidhion prayed that, wherever Castiel was, she was healthy and safe, because she deserved it after everything she had been through. Without a word, he patted Legolas's shoulder in an attempt to console him and a shade of darkness passed over his dark eyes.

Another day had come in the small village of Elmwood and its habitants went to their usual work, some of them talking happily with their families and their friends. The young woman envied them for their happiness, for the fact that they had their loved ones next to them.  
She was in the small garden of her house, brushing her stallion. The previous habitant of the house, an old man, had passed away a few months before she arrived and nobody in the village had any problem with her to settle in. It took a while, but in the end she got used to it. She liked the comfort her home was reflecting, especially in the cold nights she was sitting next to the fire. She liked her garden, which was blossoming. She liked talking with Saeleth, an old woman who was something like a mother and advisor for her. Elmwood would be the safe sanctuary she was wishing for, if only the ghosts of her past would stop haunting her.

As she was brushing Beleg's dark brown fur, she could not help but remember what had happened only a year ago. Sometimes she had the impression that it was only yesterday, but there were also moments she thought ten years had passed. She remembered how happy she was when Nestaron had found the cure for the poison that was killing Legolas, the poison, as she kept reminding herself, that was destined for her. When Legolas opened his eyes and smiled to his father and her, relief had packed her. But only days later, she decided to follow her plan and leave the Woodland Realm, to save Legolas and his family.

King Thranduil was sad when she told him that she would leave. He had tried everything in order to make her change her mind, reassuring her that he was not blaming her for his son's poisoning and that Mirkwood was her home. When he saw, though, that she insisted, he had sighed and wished her good luck. Castiel had begged him to allow Maeron to stay in the realm, for she did not want to drag him into an unknown fate as well, after everything he had been through, and the Elvenking had agreed willingly.

The most painful memory, the memory that was making her cry in her sleep, was the day of her departure. Legolas had come into the stables while she was preparing her horse, wanting to spend a few moments with her.

_" 'So, it seems that you are leaving indeed' he commented bitterly, but looking her bravely in the eyes. Her voice was stuck inside her and she could only nod._

_'Do you remember' he went on 'the last time you wanted to go away? It was when Maeron arrived and told you that your father and Daechir would search for you. I had told you that I would always be there for you. And you agreed to stay here and face them'_

_'That was' she managed to speak 'before you were poisoned because of me. Do not try to console me, Legolas, for you know very well that I should suffer what you suffered'_

_'I think you suffered long enough in the hands of your father, Castiel' Legolas disagreed. Noticing her confusion, he left a small, sad laughter. 'I know. I know what he was doing to you. I know he was beating you and that this is the reason you ran away from Almaarea'_

_Castiel gasped hearing these words. He could not know the truth. She had tried very hard to hide any proof of what she had been through._

_'The night you had that nightmare and begged me to stay with you' the Mirkwood Elf calmly explained 'I discovered a bruise on your arm and connected everything. How long...'_

_'Years' Castiel interrupted him. 'Years and years. This is why I will leave. If I stay, you and your kin will be in permanent danger. I will go to live in a small village, to keep both you and myself safe'_

_'Alright' Legolas nodded and suddenly his voice raised. 'What if I do not care for my safety?'_

_'I do! And there is nothing you can do to stop me! I will leave, although I know that it will hurt me'_

_Some minutes passed in silence, when Legolas made a step towards her, wanting to hug her for one last time, but Castiel stretched her hands and gently pushed him away._

_'It would make things worse' she said softly, her voice being only a whisper. 'Trust me'_

_'Will I ever see you again?' _

_'Maybe one day, when I will be sure that there is no danger and we have moved on with our lives' she answered randomly. _

_She could say from his look that she had hurt him. It broke her heart, for it was not easy for her either. But she had learned to live with her wounds and she could endure another one. Slowly she leaned in and gave him a very gentle kiss, as the final farewell, before quickly leaving the stables, holding Beleg by his reins. "_

The horse nudged her with his nose and Castiel caressed him, thanking him silently for returning her to reality. The memory had brought tears in her eyes and she quickly wiped them away. But only then she noticed that the horse had also a sad expression, as if he could read her thoughts. He turned his head towards his saddle, which was laying on a small bench, together with his reins. Castiel laughed sadly.

'No, my boy' she said. 'We can not return. It is better for us all that way'

**A/N: Alright, everyone, that was it for now, hope you liked it. Everything looks dark for our friends, right? Well, don't lose your hope, mellon nins, because there is always light ;)**


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